Kolkata, Dec 12: A number of imams in the city today moved a petition before the Calcutta High Court challenging the Centre's recent notification making income tax payers ineligible for Haj subsidy and also imposing other conditions for availing the same. The petition, filed by Sailendu Rakshit on behalf of at least six imams of different city mosques before a division bench comprising Chief Justice A K Mathur and Justice A Banerjee, submitted that the notification amounted to penalising an honest tax payer.

The petition was admitted by the court and the bench directed the union of India to file affidavit in opposition and fixed December 19 for hearing of the case.

The petitioner submitted that the notification, which said that an income tax payers has to pay normal fare of Rs 36,000 instead of the subsidised fare of Rs 12,000, was issued when the process for haj-2004 was already underway.

Terming the conditions as, "uncalled for, unrealistic and arbitrary" at a time when the this year's haj process was already underway, the petitioner prayed for stay of the same. Claiming breach of fundamental rights, the petition also sought restoration of rights under Article 226 of the constitution.

Bureau Report